Larger container gantry cranes strengthen HHLA TK Estonia's position in the Baltic region

Upgrade for the HHLA terminal in the Port of Muuga: two larger container gantry cranes, previously in operation at Hamburg's Container Terminal Burchardkai, will en-able container ships with a cargo volume of 14,000 standard containers (TEU) to be handled in Estonia for the first time.

Angela Titzrath, CEO of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), sees the subsidiary HHLA TK Estonia in an even better position to establish itself as a hub in Baltic Sea traffic thanks to this technical enhancement.

https://hhla.de/en/company/news/detail-view/larger-container-gantry-cranes-for-tk-estonia

31.05.2022

On May 31st, the gantry cranes were officially christened by Titzrath, the Estonian Minister for Econom-ics and Communications Taavi Aas and the CEO of HHLA TK Estonia Riia Sillave.

"The customers will be served by cranes named Alfa and Bravo, thus also symbolically highlighting the beginning of a journey of containers either entering into Estonia or moving onwards from here into the world”, said Riia Sillave.

HHLA Group CEO Angela Titzrath explained: “The new, larger gantry cranes will help HHLA TK to utilize its full potential for the handling of existing and future freight streams. We have invested over five million euros to be able to service vessels accommodating four times more containers than the ships able to dock in Muuga at the moment. In the future, calls in Muuga will be more attractive and efficient for global shipping companies. Thanks to the growth in handling capacity, Estonia’s opportunities as a multimodal logistics hub in Northern Europe will increase considerably."

At present, mostly feeder ships with a maximum capacity of 3,500 TEU berth in Muuga. Now, vessels with a volume of up to 14,000 standard containers (TEU) can be handled, which are the largest container ships (Post-Panamax) sailing across the Baltic Sea. The three already existing special container gantry cranes were supplemented with two considerably larger ones that can handle ships with up to 21 con-tainer rows. They were previously used at Hamburg’s Container Terminal Burchardkai. With a carrying capacity of 70 tonnes, a height of 73 metres and a lifting height of 50 metres, they are some of the larg-est container gantry cranes in the Baltic region.

In 2018, HHLA acquired the Estonian multi-function terminal in Muuga and has integrated it into its network since then. The Port of Muuga is the main cargo port in Estonia and an important maritime location in the Baltic region. Its strength is its central location in the crossroads of logistics channels. HHLA TK Estonia is the clear market leader in container handling in Estonia and handles break bulk, bulk and RoRo freight. Muuga's importance for Baltic traffic will increase significantly due to the terminal's current largest investment of the last ten years.

HHLA / Raul Mee

Ceremonial naming of the container gantry cranes in Estonia (from left in photo): Irene Sarapik (CFO HHLA TK Estonia), Christiane Hohmann (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Estonia), Riia Sillave (CEO HHLA TK Estonia), Angela Titzrath (CEO HHLA), Andres Uusoja (CCO HHLA TK Estonia), Jens Hansen (COO HHLA), Philip Sweens (Managing Director HHLA International GmbH).